Impatiens plant named ‘Balfuspeafro’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Impatiens  plant named ‘Balfuspeafro’, characterized by its single type light orange-colored flowers, variegated green and white-colored foliage, and vigorous, semi-upright growth habit.

Latin name of genus and species of plant claimed: Impatienswalleriana×Impatiens auricoma.

Variety denomination: ‘Balfuspeafro’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar ofImpatiens plant botanically known as Impatiens walleriana×Impatiensauricoma and hereinafter referred to by the cultivar name‘Balfuspeafro’.

The new cultivar originated in a controlled breeding program in Cartago,Costa Rica during November 2003. The objective of the breeding programwas the development of Impatiens hybrid cultivars with numerous flowers,unique flower coloration and flower shape, excellent basal branching,and an upright, compact to moderate growth habit.

The new Impatiens cultivar is a naturally occurring sport of Fusion™Radiance ‘Balfusradn’, U.S. Plant Pat. No. 15,196, characterized by itssingle type light orange-colored flowers, medium green-colored foliage,and upright-mounded growth habit. The new cultivar was discovered as aside shoot and selected on August 2005 in a controlled environment atCartago, Costa Rica.

Asexual reproduction of the new cultivar by terminal stem cuttings sinceAugust 2005 at Cartago, Costa Rica, Arroyo Grande, Calif. and WestChicago, Ill. has demonstrated that the new cultivar reproduces true totype with all of the characteristics, as herein described, firmly fixedand retained through successive generations of such asexual propagation.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The following characteristics of the new cultivar have been repeatedlyobserved and can be used to distinguish ‘Balfuspeafro’ as a new anddistinct cultivar of Impatiens plant:

-   -   1. Single type light orange-colored flowers;    -   2. Variegated green and white-colored foliage; and    -   3. Vigorous, semi-upright growth habit.

Of the many commercially available Impatiens cultivars known to theinventor, the most similar in comparison to the new cultivar is theparent Fusion™ Radiance ‘Balfusradn’, U.S. Plant Pat. No. 15,196.However, in side by side comparisons, plants of the new cultivar differfrom plants of ‘Balfusradn’ in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new cultivar have a foliage color different        than plants of ‘Balfusradn’; and    -   2. Plants of the new cultivar have fewer flowers than plants of        ‘Balfusradn’.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying photographs show, as nearly true as it is reasonablypossible to make the same in color illustrations of this type, typicalflower and foliage characteristics of the new cultivar. Colors in thephotographs differ slightly from the color values cited in the detaileddescription, which accurately describes the colors of ‘Balfuspeafro’.The plants were grown in 4.5 inch pots for 8 weeks in a greenhouse atWest Chicago, Ill.

FIG. 1 illustrates a side view of the overall growth and flowering habitof ‘Balfuspeafro’.

FIG. 2 illustrates a close-up view of an individual flower of‘Balfuspeafro’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The new cultivar has not been observed under all possible environmentalconditions to date. Accordingly, it is possible that the phenotype mayvary somewhat with variations in the environment, such as temperature,light intensity, and day length, without, however, any variance ingenotype.

The chart used in the identification of colors described herein is TheR.H.S. Colour Chart of The Royal Horticultural Society, London, England,2001 edition, except where general color terms of ordinary significanceare used. The color values were determined on May 23, 2006 between 9:00a.m. and 11:00 a.m. under natural light conditions in West Chicago, Ill.

The following descriptions and measurements describe plants producedfrom cuttings taken from stock plants and grown in a glass-coveredgreenhouse under conditions comparable to those used in commercialpractice. The plants were grown at West Chicago, Ill. in 4.5 inch potsfor 8 weeks utilizing a soilless growth medium. Greenhouse temperatureswere maintained at approximately 70° F. to 77° F. (21° C. to 25° C.)during the day and approximately 65° F. to 68° F. (18° C. to 20° C.)during the night. Greenhouse light levels of 2,500 footcandles to 6,000footcandles were maintained during the day.

-   Botanical classification: Impatiens walleriana×Impatiens auricoma    cultivar Balfuspeafro.-   Parentage:    -   -   Parent.—Fusion™ Radiance ‘Balfusradn’, U.S. Plant Pat. No.            15,196.-   Propagation:    -   -   Type cutting.—Terminal stem.        -   Time to initiate roots.—Approximately 7 to 8 days.        -   Time to produce a rooted cutting.—Approximately 21 to 24            days.        -   Root description.—Fibrous.        -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching.-   Plant description:    -   -   Commercial crop time.—Approximately 6 to 9 weeks from a            rooted cutting.        -   Growth habit and general appearance.—Vigorous, semi-upright.        -   Size.—Height from soil level to top of plant plane:            Approximately 9.5 cm. Width: Approximately 27.2 cm.        -   Branching habit.—Freely basal branching. Quantity of main            branches per plant: Approximately 5.        -   Branch.—Strength: Moderately strong. Length: Approximately            9.7 cm. Diameter: Approximately 4.3 mm. Length of central            internode: Approximately 1.8 cm. Texture: Glabrous. Color of            young and mature stems: 146D with faint streaks of 187B            primarily at nodes.-   Foliage description:    -   -   General description.—Quantity of leaves per main branch:            Approximately 11. Fragrance: None. Form: Simple.            Arrangement: Lower leaves alternate and upper leaves in            whorls.        -   Leaves.—Aspect: Petiole is at an acute angle to stem and            leaves are perpendicular to an obtuse angle to stem. Shape:            Elliptic. Margin: Crenate with ciliation. Apex: Acuminate.            Base: Attenuate. Venation pattern: Pinnate. Length of mature            leaf at center of stem: Approximately 5.5 cm. Width of            mature leaf at center of stem: Approximately 3.4 cm. Texture            of upper and lower surfaces: Glabrous. Color of upper            surface of young foliage: Variegated with primary color of            138A, irregularly patterned areas of 138B, margins of 153C,            and venation of 138B. Color of lower surface of young            foliage: Variegated with primary color of 138B, irregularly            patterned areas of 138C, margins of 153D, and venation of            138B. Color of upper surface of mature foliage: Variegated            with primary color of 138A, irregularly patterned areas of            138C, margins of 155A, and venation of 138B. Color of lower            surface of mature foliage: Variegated with primary color of            138B, irregularly patterned areas of 138C, margins of 155A,            and venation of 138B.        -   Petiole.—Length: Approximately 2.6 cm. Diameter:            Approximately 2.0 mm. Texture: Glabrous. Color: 138B at            least base transitioning to 145D at stem attachment.-   Flowering description:    -   -   Flowering habit.—‘Balfuspeafro’ is freely flowering under            outdoor growing conditions with substantially continuous            blooming from spring through autumn and year-round in            greenhouse environment.        -   Lastingness of individual flower on the plant.—Approximately            7 to 8 days.-   Flower description:    -   -   General description.—Type: Single. Quantity per plant:            Approximately 28. Fragrance: None.        -   Bud.—Rate of opening: Generally takes 3 to 4 days for bud to            progress from first color to fully open flower. Quantity            showing color per plant: Approximately 11.        -   Bud just before opening.—Shape: Ovoid. Length: Approximately            1.1 cm. Diameter: Approximately 9.2 mm. Color: 32D.        -   Corolla.—Shape: Oval, cupped when first open, becoming            flatter with age. Length: Approximately 3.3 cm. Width:            Approximately 2.4 cm. Depth: Approximately 1.4 cm. Borne:            Above and below the foliage.        -   Petals.—Quantity: 5. Shape of upper petal: Cucullate. Shape            of lateral and lower petals: Obovate. Aspect: Cupped.            Appearance: Iridescent. Margin: Entire. Apex of upper petal:            Emarginate. Apex of lateral and lower petal: Obtuse. Base of            upper petal: Truncate. Base of lateral and lower petals:            Attenuate. Length of upper petal: Approximately 1.3 cm.            Width of upper petal: Approximately 1.5 cm. Length of            lateral petals: Approximately 1.5 cm. Width of lateral            petals: Approximately 1.7 cm. Length of lower petals:            Approximately 2.2 cm. Width of lower petals: Approximately            1.5 cm. Texture of upper and lower surfaces: Glabrous. Color            of upper surface when first open and fully open: 29B with an            eye of 46A. Lateral petals have a faint spot of 29A near the            lower edge, and lower petals have a spot of 28A on lower            portion. Color of lower surface when first and fully open:            29C.        -   Spur.—Quantity: 1 per flower, double-tipped. Aspect:            Moderately curved downward. Length: Approximately 1.7 cm.            Diameter at tip: Approximately 2.0 mm. Diameter at base:            Approximately 3.0 mm. Texture: Glabrous. Color: 36B at base            transitioning to 1C toward tip of 145B.        -   Peduncle.—Strength: Strong. Aspect: Acute angle to stem.            Length: Approximately 2.5 cm. Diameter: Approximately            1.0 cm. Texture: Glabrous. Color: 145B.        -   Sepals.—Quantity per flower: 4, with one fused to base of            upper petal. Shape of lateral sepals: Elliptic. Shape of            lower sepal: Ovate. Base of lower sepal is modified to form            a spur. Apex of all sepals: Acuminate. Length of lateral            sepals: Approximately 9.1 mm. Width of lateral sepals:            Approximately 6.0 mm. Length of lower sepal: Approximately            1.6 cm. Width of lower sepal: Approximately 1.0 cm. Texture            of upper and lower surfaces of all sepals: Glabrous. Color            of lateral sepals: 36D and apex of 144D. Color of lower            sepal: 36C and apex of 144D.        -   Reproductive organs.—Androecium: Stamen quantity: 5 per            flower, fused around pistil at apex. Anther shape: Oval.            Anther length: Approximately 1.0 mm. Anther color: 54D.            Filament color: 36C. Pollen amount: None observed.            Gynoecium: Pistil quantity: 1 per flower. Pistil length:            Approximately 5.8 mm. Stigma shape: 5-pointed star. Stigma            color: Colorless, translucent. Style color: Colorless,            translucent. Ovary texture: Glabrous. Ovary color: 149A.-   Seed and fruit production: Neither seed nor fruit production has    been observed.-   Disease and pest resistance: Resistance to pathogens and pests    common to Impatiens has not been observed.

1. A new and distinct cultivar of Impatiens plant named ‘Balfuspeafro’,substantially as herein shown and described.